Sha’Carri Richardson and Coco Gauff might be rivals when it comes to the BET Sportswoman Of The Year Award 2025. But on the field, mutual respect is pretty much on point. As Coco Gauff pulled off a 3.5-hour marathon victory in the semifinals of the Italian Open, the entire world stood up and took notice. With congratulations flooding Gauff’s inbox, one particular one among them caught the tennis star’s eyes. And it came from none other than her fellow track and field friend, Sha’Carri Richardson. And while Gauff enjoyed the compliment pretty much, she did not forget to give it back to the track queen. 

Sha’Carri Richardson recently took to her Instagram story to praise Gauff. Bowing down to the tennis star for her efforts, Richardson wrote, “WHEN YOU WIN A 3.5HR THRILLER COCO ©cocogauff” Soon after the post, Gauff reposted the same on her story, but now she too had a special 3-word message for Richardson. It read, “Thank you queen.” Now, coming back to why Gauff is getting all the praise, let’s go back to her match against Qinwen Zheng.

Coco Gauff punched her ticket to the final of the Italian Open after surviving a three-and-a-half-hour rollercoaster against China’s Zheng Qinwen. A match packed with drama, momentum swings, and nerve-shredding tie-breaks. This was no ordinary semifinal. It was a battle between two rising stars who know each other well, and from the very first point, the intensity was palpable. Gauff came out firing, taking early control of the rallies and showing no hesitation in her shot selection. The American teenager, already a Grand Slam champion, edged ahead in the opening set, which went the distance before she clinched it in a tense tiebreak, 7-6 (3).

But Zheng, the eighth seed, refused to go quietly. With Gauff struggling on serve, double faults became an increasing concern. And soon, the Chinese star pounced. She flipped the momentum entirely, breaking at key moments and holding her nerve to take the second set 6-4. Suddenly, the match was wide open again.

What followed was an exhausting third set, both physically and emotionally. The two traded blows like prizefighters, neither able to deliver a knockout. Gauff’s power off the ground clashed with Zheng’s relentless counter-punching, and as fatigue crept in, the margins grew thinner.

In the decisive third-set tiebreak, it was Gauff who found one final gear. She locked in, cutting out the errors that had plagued her earlier, and delivered clutch tennis when it mattered most. With the crowd on its feet and the stakes at their highest, Gauff sealed a dramatic 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory.

It was a marathon showdown that showcased both players’ grit and talent, but it’s Gauff who moves on. Battered, perhaps, but unbowed. She now stands one win away from lifting the Italian Open title. And with best wishes from the likes of Sha’Carri Richardson, Gauff will be feeling all the more confident. Meanwhile, it is not Gauff alone who will be boosted by the feel-good messages. Her ‘queen’, Sha’Carri Richardson too, will be using Gauff’s appreciation ahead of her much awaited season debut.

Is Sha’Carri Richardson ready to kick off 2025 with bold Tokyo showdown?

Sha’Carri Richardson isn’t just starting a new season. She’s setting the tone for a year that could redefine her legacy! On Sunday, 18 May, the reigning 100m world champion will lace up for the first time in 2025 at the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo. It’s her debut race of the year, and for the first time ever, she’s kicking off her campaign outside the U.S., choosing the high-stakes setting of Japan’s National Stadium. And guess what, it is the same venue where she must be waiting to defend her world title in September.

After a less-than-stellar finish to 2024, with an uncharacteristic 11.23 in Brussels, Richardson has made no secret of her transformation, both personally and professionally. Her previous outing in Tokyo may be months away, but the track that awaits her this weekend could well serve as the spark for her redemption arc. “I’m not back, I’m better,” Sha’Carri said last season, a mantra that now takes on fresh meaning as she prepares to silence the critics and shake up the sprinting world once again.

Set to take the blocks at 14:34 JST in the women’s 100m, Sha’Carri won’t have it easy. The Tokyo lineup includes a strong Japanese contingent and international names eager to make a mark early in the season. For Richardson, it’s not just about the win—it’s about making a statement.